Master of Puppets (song)
:"It deals pretty much with drugs. How things get switched around, instead of you controlling what you're taking and doing, it's drugs controlling you." :— James Hetfield Master of Puppets is the second and title track of the album Master of Puppets. The song was written by James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett, and Cliff Burton. Often recognized as a thrash metal masterpiece, "Master of Puppets", although not as well known as "One" or "Enter Sandman", is still a fan favorite, known for its heavy guitar part and its maniacal laughter. About Keeping the theme of powerlessness and manipulation in the album, "Master of Puppets" is about drugs and the effect of it on you. Some examples in the song are: "You're dedicated to how I'm killing you", referring to drug addiction and how the person can't stop taking the drug, or "I'm your source of self-destruction", meaning that one kills himself by taking drugs. Death also plays a big role in the song, as it does in the rest of the songs on the album. Live *"Master of Puppets" was played live for the first time on December 31, 1985, in San Francisco, CA. *As of September 2019, "Master of Puppets" has been played 1645 times live, making it the most played song live by Metallica, and one of the nine songs to be played live over 1000 times along with "Creeping Death", "Seek & Destroy", "One", "For Whom The Bell Tolls", "Enter Sandman", "Sad But True", "Fade To Black", and "Nothing Else Matters". (Please note this is according to available setlists from Metallica.com) Trivia *"Master of Puppets" ranked #51 in Guitar World's 100 Greatest Guitar Solos. *The first solo of "Master of Puppets" is played by James, even though he is the rhythm guitarist and vocalist, while Kirk Hammett, the lead guitarist, plays the rhythm during the first solo. However, during the two harmonic solos, James plays the lower harmony while Kirk plays the higher harmony. This can easily be detected when listening to a live version of "Master of Puppets", as James' guitar is playing in the left speaker and Kirk's guitar is playing in the right speaker. * "A lot of people think I came into my own on that song. It had everything to do with buying our first Mesa/Boogie Mark II-C heads. Boogie made those heads for a short time in the mid-Eighties, but nothing they've made has since captured that particular sound. They were really unique. The sound of the entire Master of Puppets album is pretty much some combination of the Boogie and Marshall." -Kirk Hammett * Master of Puppets has a mistake in the solo, and Kirk Hammett liked it. * Master of Puppets has a riff after the solo that was inspired by (maybe) Andy Warhol, by the late David Bowie. Lyrics End of passion play, crumbling away I'm your source of self-destruction Veins that pump with fear, sucking darkest clear Leading on your death's construction Taste me you will see More is all you need Dedicated to How I'm killing you Come crawling faster Obey your master Your life burns faster Obey your master Master Master of puppets, I'm pulling your strings Twisting your mind and smashing your dreams Blinded by me, you can't see a thing Just call my name 'cause I'll hear you scream Master Master Just call my name 'cause I'll hear you scream Master Master Needlework the way, never you betray Life of death becoming clearer Pain monopoly, ritual misery Chop your breakfast on a mirror Taste me you will see More is all you need Dedicated to How I'm killing you Come crawling faster Obey your master Your life burns faster Obey your master Master Master of puppets, I'm pulling your strings Twisting your mind and smashing your dreams Blinded by me, you can't see a thing Just call my name 'cause I'll hear you scream Master Master Just call my name 'cause I'll hear you scream Master Master Master, master Where's the dreams that I've been after? Master, master Promised only lies Laughter, laughter All I hear and see is laughter Laughter, laughter Laughing at my cries Fix me Hell is worth all that, natural habitat Just a rhyme without a reason Never-ending maze, drift on numbered days Now your life is out of season I will occupy I will help you die I will run through you Now I rule you too Come crawling faster Obey your master Your life burns faster Obey your master Master Master of puppets, I'm pulling your strings Twisting your mind and smashing your dreams Blinded by me, you can't see a thing Just call my name 'cause I'll hear you scream Master Master Just call my name 'cause I'll hear you scream Master Master References Category:Songs Category:Lyrics Category:Master of Puppets Category:Needs References